


March of the Lion

by DanteLUPINE



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Platonic Relationships, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-01-22 18:21:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21306485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanteLUPINE/pseuds/DanteLUPINE
Summary: Lionpaw is happy to be ThunderClan's medicine cat apprentice, but he seems to be dealing with some feelings of inadequacy, as many an apprentice does. As he grows and changes, he'll find that he while he might not be certain of his place in the world, the world's not so certain a place, either. Thankfully, he's got a loving family and siblings who support him and remind him that he's dear to them.
Relationships: Hollyleaf & Jayfeather & Lionblaze (Warriors), Jayfeather & Lionblaze (Warriors), Lionblaze & Leafpool (Warriors)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 48
Collections: Lionheart





	1. Little Lion (Man)

**Author's Note:**

> Firstly, this was vaguely inspired by Wolfgrowl's fic "Daniel in the Den", specifically the idea of canon divergence and developing Lionblaze's character beyond the canon of "I'm invincible and don't have to think beyond what I'm going to punch next!" He was never my favorite character, but he did have a lot of potential for him, and so the idea of this small fic series (I'm thinking there will be three of them) is that I'm going to follow Lionpaw in the latter half of Po3 as if he were in Jayfeather's shoes and had been given more to do. Furthermore, I don't know what I'm going to do with Hollyleaf yet, as I don't want to ignore her, but I don't remember her doing very much during the second half of the arc. She wasn't my favorite character at the time, and so it may boil down to me simply not remembering. Either way, know that she'll have a bigger part in the last part for sure.  
An important thing to note is that I haven't quite decided if the powers are actually present in this au; while the prophecy itself is referenced, I am personally of the belief that Lion and Jay's powers aren't particularly necessary for accomplishing anything. For example, Leafpool visit's Willowpaw's dreams in TNP to do some tutoring, and being invincible isn't a good power when it's just a plot device that he can turn off whenever he wishes, and protagonists in the series are rarely severely injured, anyway.
> 
> Feel free to comment and leave questions! I thrive off of validation and engagement.

Despite the general isolation of the ThunderClan medicine den, and the half-barrier of brambles that shrouded its entrance, sunlight easily drifted within reach of Lionpaw’s nest and roused him. The golden tabby stretched, yawning wide, before stepping out of his nest, quickly registering the usual rustle of his mentor’s morning herb stock-taking.

The dregs of a dreamless sleep and the burgeoning chill of leaf-fall clung to his muscles, and Lionpaw shook his pelt as he made his way towards the back of the hollow and the stone crevice in which Leafpool stored the clan’s medicine stores.

“Good morning, Leafpool.” He sat patiently outside the cleft with his tail wrapped neatly around his paws. As he’d grown over the last few moons, it had become more and more necessary for him to squeeze into the stores when he needed to retrieve an herb or berry; he knew very well that fitting inside to assist Leafpool with her work wasn’t an option. “How is the counting going?”

A short gasp heralded the appearance of Leafpool as she poked her brown and white head out to look at him. “Oh, it’s going. Did you sleep well?”

“I think so,” Lionpaw answered, though he remembered waking up from an odd dream early in the night where he’d been trekking through a marshy forest. The underbrush had seemed to glow ethereally, and though he’d been able to tell that it was night in the dream, whenever he could get a glimpse of the sky through the canopy of trees overhead, he hadn’t been able to make out any stars. He shook his head. He’d gotten back to sleep easily, so it was nothing to worry about. “But how’s the store looking?”

Leafpool pushed her way out of the herb store, her pelt rippling past the stone. “We have a good number of herbs, currently…”

She trailed off, and Lionpaw nodded his understanding. Even though it was a chilly morning, he had heard plenty gossip around camp that this leaf-fall wasn’t as cold as it would normally be. Because of that some cats were beginning to worry about how the Clan would weather the coming leaf-bare, and Leafpool was chief among them.

“If you want, I can go out and see if I can find some fully-grown herbs,” Lionpaw mewed. “It’s good to check the growth anyway, right?”

Leafpool nodded and Lionpaw rose to his paws. “Leave the catmint for a while longer! We have some from our last excursion that’s not completely dried. Instead, what else can we use for coughs?”

“Tansy,” Lionpaw replied, eager to get out of the cramped den and stretch his legs. “But coltsfoot is better for kittencough.”

“Right. What’s best for fever?” The amusement in his mentor’s meow was plain, and Lionpaw couldn’t help but purr his answer.

“Feverfew.” It was a simple question that Lionpaw knew she enjoyed asking. From discussions with the other medicine cat apprentices, it seemed to be a joke amongst their mentors.

“Good. Okay, for now, those are our biggest concerns.”

Lionpaw stood, sweeping his fluffy tail around as he turned to leave. “Yep.”

“Don’t forget to eat, Lionpaw. Enjoy the prey while it lasts!”

“Of course, Leafpool,” he answered, turning to dip his head in acknowledgement. His mentor had settled onto her haunches, watching him quietly. Often, he found it funny how the she-cat doted on him even though he was half again her size; assumedly, it was part of the territory of being a medicine cat and not part of being her nephew, since she was also known to be bossy with everyone from the grumpiest elder to the most senior warrior, her father, Firestar, included.

“Take a warrior with you, if you think you’ll need the help.” Her amber eyes were almost somber, though Lionpaw couldn’t entirely make out her expression thanks to the shadows further in the den.

“Of course,” the golden tabby stretched again before actively moving away from his mentor, lest she lecture him until sundown. “I’ll ask Cinderheart or Jayfeather.”

Lionpaw pushed his way past the brambles, muffling whatever reply Leafpool had called after him, and burst into the bright sunhigh-lit camp. He rankled slightly at his mentor’s suggestion that he couldn’t take care of himself. Sure, he wasn’t a warrior-in-training and he tended to bumble a bit, but he was large and he’d proven that he could at least outlast Jayfeather’s wiry muscle and quick wit plenty of times during their training with Leafpool and Brightheart. It _had _been a while since their last group session, though, thanks to his brother receiving his warrior name half a moon ago.

He took a deep breath and let his fur fluff up against the chill as he glanced around ThunderClan’s hollow. All across the camp his Clanmates went about their business, several senior warriors reinforcing their den while a few other milled about the fresh-kill pile. Icepaw sat washing her paw by the apprentice’s den with Foxpaw nowhere in sight, and Lionpaw reminded himself to ask her to check the elders’ bedding when he returned from his own errand. Daisy, heavy with kits, lay dozing in a puddle of sunlight near the nursery.

Lionpaw crossed the camp, contentment at his Clan’s wellbeing warming his heart and calming his mind, and he quickened when he recognized his siblings by the fresh-kill pile. His brother’s ears cocked towards him as he approached them, and Jayfeather seemed relieved at the notion of escaping the droning chatter of Hollyleaf and Berrynose as the two debated the recent battle and the eclipse that had stopped it, and whether or not some nuance of the warrior code could edict how Firestar should proceed on the matter. Ironically, it was the aftermath of said battle that had resulted in his siblings and Cinderheart receiving their full warrior names.

“You’re up later than usual,” the grey tabby meowed in greeting. The blind tom lifted his head from the sparrow he’d been picking over, and he nudged it in the direction of Lionpaw.

“Thanks, and good morning to you too, Jayfeather.” Lionpaw nodded to his brother and rolled his eyes at Hollyleaf and Berrynose, whose only acknowledgement of his presence had been a slight nod before continuing their argument. “I had a weird dream and woke up really early.”

This caught his sister’s attention, and she turned her green eyes on him, raising her tail to silence Berrynose midsentence. “Oh? Do you think it was important?”

“Not especially.” Lionpaw chewed thoughtfully. The black she-cat was probably assuming it had to do with their prophecy, but if it had been, he was certain there would have been more to it than aimless wandering and a starless sky. “But anyway, Leafpool wants you to come with me to collect some herbs, Jayfeather.”

Jayfeather huffed and several feathers caught on the gust of his breath, drifting several mouse-lengths away while Lionpaw watched them. “She is aware that I’m a warrior now, right?”

“Oh, I’m certain she is,” a deep voice meowed from behind Lionpaw, causing him to jump. When he turned, he was faced by the imposing figure of his father, Brambleclaw. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t help out; it’s what Clanmates are for. Besides, your brother asked.”

“I never said I wouldn’t.” Unlike Lionpaw, Jayfeather hadn’t shown any sign of surprise at the ThunderClan deputy’s quiet approach—nothing ever seemed to phase the grey tabby, even though he was blind. In many cases, in fact, he seemed to be more aware of his surroundings than Lionpaw often was, though he didn’t think anybody could blame him for being surprised that such a large cat could move so quietly. 

Brambleclaw nuzzled against Lionpaw, and he felt warmth bubble in his stomach as he bent his head to continue his meal. Being the son of the Clan’s deputy wasn’t a huge deal, but he was always proud of his father for the responsibility he shouldered for the good of the Clan.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Brambleclaw continued through a rumbling purr before turning to Hollyleaf and Berrynose, the latter of whom had begun to inch away. “If you two aren’t busy, then you can come with me on a border patrol once one of the hunting patrols return.”

Lionpaw tuned out the rest of the conversation as he finished his meal, picking up the carcass in his mouth and sweeping his tail over his brother’s nose to signal that he was ready to leave. Half a sparrow hadn’t been enough to fill his belly, but it’d whet his appetite enough to hold him off until they returned later on and the pile had been restocked. He buried the bones just past the bramble barrier that barred the camp entrance and reasoned that if it came down to it, he and Jayfeather could hunt during their outing. Jayfeather was a better hunter anyway.

The pair wandered quietly through the thickly forested wood, keeping a reasonably comfortable pace so that Lionpaw was certain that Jayfeather wouldn’t be tripped up by stray underbrush. Once again, though, Jayfeather surprised him.

“Why are we going to the lake? I thought we were looking for herbs, Lionpaw.”

“I wanted to swim,” Lionpaw answered. “It’s better to go to the lake first, rather than carry the herbs there and back.”

Jayfeather didn’t respond for a long moment, and even though he could hear his brother rustling through underbrush behind him, Lionpaw turned to make sure he was still there. “What?”

“You still swim?” Jayfeather stopped several pawsteps away, his blue gaze firmly on the ground. “Why?”

Lionpaw approached him, taking a seat in a dappled spot of sun beside his brother. “It’s relaxing.”

Jayfeather turned his blank gaze on him, and Lionpaw nuzzled the smaller tom. Even blind, Jayfeather had always been good at conveying his emotions through his expressions, and his undisguised doubt made Lionpaw purr.

“It was your first success as a medicine cat apprentice, wasn’t it?” Jayfeather’s meow was quiet, and Lionpaw knew that it was less of an inquiry and more of a request of confirmation—whether or not he actually said yes, Jayfeather would know the truth.

“It was your idea to teach Cinderheart to swim, though.” Lionpaw nudged Jayfeather before bouncing into a trot, continuing on the way towards the lakeshore.

His brother kept up easily, close enough to him that Lionpaw could feel his whiskers against his side. Lionpaw kept them clear of any roots or brambles, and it didn’t take very long until the scent of the lake was on the air and they were breaking the treeline.

Lionpaw continued his pace as he crossed the beach and trotted into the water while Jayfeather halted a fox-length away from the lapping tides. Freezing water tugged at his legs and underbelly, and oh no, he had not thought this through at all. Did RiverClan swim during leaf-fall and leaf-bare? He waded the short distance back to the shore, and by the time he flopped onto the sand beside Jayfeather, his teeth had begun to chatter.

“Well, how relaxing was it?”

“V-v-very!” StarClan above, he was an idiot. Lionpaw forced himself to his paws, knowing that moving around would help his warmth return to him.

Jayfeather stood beside him. “Lean on me, mouse-brain. We can start on your errand, and you’ll be warm before we get back. Leafpool doesn’t have to know I let you do that.”

“Thank you,” Lionpaw sighed in relief as his brother shouldered his weight. He was never prepared for the reality that, were it not for his own stamina, the much smaller tom would easily be able to best him in any fight. As it was, Lionpaw tended to win by laying on him when he got tired or frustrated.

After stopping by the Sky Oak to harvest coltsfoot, the pair made it to the abandoned twoleg den in ThunderClan territory without trouble, though they’d had to skirt around a hunting patrol led by Squirrelflight that, judging from the noise the group made, had been quite successful. Lionpaw’s energy had begun to return to him when they were halfway there and by the time they were settling down to inspect the herb patches around the old structure, Jayfeather had begun to complain about how great a lug the golden tabby was.

Lionpaw worked quickly, moving from spot to spot to sniff and inspect stems and leaves, ensuring there was no sign of discoloration or abnormal scents. Jayfeather’s work was slower, but Lionpaw was no less impressed by how accurately his brother judged the plants after having only worked with Leafpool for half a moon before the two of them had swapped.

“You should admit that you’re proud of what you do, Lionpaw.” Jayfeather broke the comfortable silence, though his nose was pushed into the small patch of healthy catmint, the surviving bit that hadn't been crushed during the battle that Lionpaw had already checked. “Are we not taking any of this back?”

“What?” Lionpaw’s whiskers twitched as he watched his brother level an impatient gaze at him. “Those are different topics, Jayfeather.”

The grey tabby sighed. “You said that I was the one who’d had the idea to teach Cinderheart to swim to strengthen her leg after her accident.”

“You were.” Lionpaw had no idea what his brother was getting at, and he sat down heavily, sweeping the herbs he’d picked in front of him with his tail.

“And you’re the one who had to teach her; I very well couldn’t.”

Lionpaw nodded, opened his maw to speak, and closed it again.

“And you taught _me _how to swim alongside her. Who would have known that’d save our lives in those tunnels?”

Lionpaw shuddered at the memory of being underground, the inescapable feeling of being underground in the labyrinthine tunnels while they hunted for the missing WindClan kits with his siblings and the WindClan apprentices Heatherpaw and Breezepaw. “Do you still have that stick?”

“The stick isn’t important right now,” Jayfeather responded, not allowing Lionpaw to change the topic. Just as the grey tabby was good at conveying his emotions, he was just as good at disguising them, his muzzle blank as a grey sky.

“Well, maybe I don’t think what I’ve done is so important.” Lionpaw’s heart began to beat hard in his chest, and he could feel the blood thrum in his ears. “I don’t feel like I’ve done anything since.”

Jayfeather’s expression shifted to one of confusion, his head cocked to one side. He wasn’t quiet for long, though. “You are the reason Cinderheart gets to be a warrior, Lionpaw. She gets to help her Clan—our clan—every day because of you. And did you forget about the part where you saved our lives?”

“I want to feel strong.” Lionpaw hung his head and released a heavy sigh as he fell into a slump. Several flower stems drifted away with the force of his exhalation, and he made no move to reach for them. He wrenched his eyes shut.

The lack of response from Jayfeather nearly made Lionpaw sigh again, but the rustling of his brother’s movement made his ears perk.

“You’re my brother,” Jayfeather meowed confidently, without a trace of venom. When Lionpaw looked up, the other tom was sitting half a tail-length away from him, with his blue eyes locked onto him. “You are my brother, and that makes you strong. You’re doing what you believe in, and you’re doing your best, right?”

“Yes, but—”

“Then that’s it! You’ve proven that you’re a capable medicine cat time and time again, even if you’re mouse-brained and bumble around a lot.” Jayfeather’s voice held a level of finality to it, and Lionpaw even through the teasing, he could feel adoration for his sibling build up in his chest. “Besides, you can’t be a doctor and ask for more patients, it’s weird.”

“T-that’s true.” That made Lionpaw chuckle dryly, and he bent his head to pull together the bundle of herbs that had drifted away. His brother had never been one to mince words, and it was unlike him to be so uplifting. Despite that, he knew that even if his confusion had been a bit simplified, Jayfeather was technically right: he had to move forward and keep doing his best.

“Thank you, Jayfeather,” he mumbled around his mouthful of tansy and coltsfoot stems.

Jayfeather nodded and stood. “Where to now?”

“I hab to get feberfew.” Lionpaw paused and winced as his stomach growled. “The stream.”

“Okay.” The grey tom turned to leave. “If you want, I can try and catch you something on the way?”

“I’d like that,” Lionpaw replied, taking up his spot on Jayfeather’s left, his brother’s whiskers grazing his pelt. “I’d like that a lot.”


	2. Lionheart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leafbare has come, and in the aftermath of the Battle of the Eclipse, ThunderClan's medicine cats have learned that they have next to no medicine for their clanmates who are contracting white and greencough. When Lionpaw is sent a dream by a most ancient StarClan spirit, that he has to go to WindClan to save his Clanmates, the young medicine cat is more than willing to do what he has to. However, simply being willing is easier said than done, and he'll have to face more ghosts of the past if he is to save his Clan.

“There’s catmint in WindClan,” Jayfeather said. “I can smell it.”

Lionpaw opened his mouth to taste the air and, unsurprisingly, detected nothing but the crisp scent of the moor in leaf-bare. Even though the sun was still high and there hadn’t been fresh snow in several sunrises, the forest was no less blanketed by it, and somehow the sheets of white obscured senses other than sight. Beyond the river-border, though it wasn’t a deep, the moors were holding the snow in pockets, green and brown poking free from snowy duvets. “You’re certain you can smell it?”

“It was your dream, Lionpaw. Whatever it’s supposed to mean, I can smell catmint,” Jayfeather huffed. Lionpaw watched him take a step back from the ice-laden river that made the border between ThunderClan and WindClan.

And so far as dreams went, it wasn’t the most confusing one. _Seek for the wind, _Brightspirit had told Lionpaw, and hadn’t Kestrelpaw _just _told him about the plentiful growth of it his Clan had not a full moon prior, just before the eclipse and ensuing battle that had ruined most of ThunderClan’s supply, leaving the remnants at the twoleg den to freeze? This was without a doubt a very straightforward mission for him, even if his brother’s inordinately powerful nose made it seem a lot easier than it likely was; _he _wasn’t the one who had to find the catmint.

Lionpaw nodded, moving towards the slick rocks that breached the surface of the river, his path across the border. His stomach was a knot of anxiety as he stepped out, one paw over the freezing clutches of the unyielding water. He couldn’t afford to fall in; a fluffy pelt would keep him warm, but wouldn’t keep him from getting sick. Not only would that end his mission before it began, but ThunderClan couldn’t risk its medicine cat apprentice catching greencough, and especially not when Firestar had already lost a life to it.

“Be careful, Lionpaw,” Jayfeather meowed, interrupting Lionpaw’s fretful thoughts. Beside him the short-furred tabby shivered, and Lionpaw wished he could give him his own pelt. “You’ll do fine.”

Warmth blossomed in Lionpaw’s chest at his brother’s words of confidence, and he wished Hollyleaf could be with them. A vote of confidence from his often-pessimistic brother was already nice, but their sister would be able to actually give him some direction. She would certainly remind him that medicine cats were allowed to cross borders when they wanted, though it wasn’t quite as simple as that. Even though medicine cats were allowed to cross borders when needed, they often did with escorts, and furthermore didn’t take herbs without consulting the Clan in question. He shook his head before his thoughts could spiral; the ThunderClan needed every warrior they had right now, and it wasn’t as if she’d been happy to let her brothers go without her.

“Okay, well, I’ll be back.”

He stepped forward, his claws slipping free from his paws and scraping stone to grip the cold rock, and bounded onward and across the river. The golden-brown tabby gazed out over the white expanse.

Lionpaw didn’t spare a glance behind him as he bounded along the border and into the sparse woods that lined the edge WindClan territory. It wouldn’t do him any good linger on any further anxieties, he reasoned, and Jayfeather couldn’t really see him off anyway. He’d return with the catmint or he wouldn’t, and that was that. 

The ThunderClan apprentice left the cover of trees when they began to thicken, heading deeper into WindClan. As the terrain changed, so too did the elevation, and the large tom found himself panting as he climbed the sudden inclines and forded the dips. A leaf-bare breeze cut through Lionpaw’s pelt as he slowed into a steady amble. Opting to keep away from the snowdrifts as much as possible, the golden tabby found the peaty moor springy beneath his paws. Whenever he paused to scent the air, he had to consciously stop from licking his pads and getting the acrid taste of peat on his tongue.

Sunhigh had come and gone and Lionpaw’s thoughts had cycled through the same worries of being found by some WindClan patrol several times before he realized that he truly had no idea where he was going. With no leads other than a dream and his brother’s ridiculously powerful nose (that he had to admit had never been wrong before) to say that catmint was _somewhere_, the golden tabby could meander across every corner of the moor before he found the herbs that his Clan so desperately needed.

Back at the twoleg den, Lionpaw reminded himself, his Clanmates were waiting for the herbs that could save their lives. Kits, elders, and even warriors could die, if he didn’t find catmint; Firestar had already lost one life! The fear that Lionpaw felt thinking of his helpless Clanmates, his pride _in _his Clanmates for fighting on despite how bleak things seemed, it all made him want to fight harder for them. The rest of ThunderClan may fight with tooth and claw, but he would use his determination to fight for them.

With renewed fervor, Lionpaw pushed on, using his claws to find purchase in the damp and springy ground as he climbed a particularly steep hill that was barren of snow. The young tom paused to catch his breath once he reached the top, and it was there that the vague scent of mint reached his nose. Lionpaw froze, stunned as he allowed the cold air to wash over his tongue and scent glands, panting as his eyes widened with recognition.

Down the hill was a small moor-y clearing with lichen-laden rocks strewn about. Lionpaw could just make out a spring of water that lay between two larger stones—he was too far away to tell if it was frozen or not, but he could clearly see the patch of verdant growth that grew much denser around the rocks. If his nose was correct, he’d found it: the catmint was here!

Lionpaw raced down the hill, abandoning any sense of caution when he was so close to his goal. He skidded to a halt at the base of the hill, slowly breathing deeply to take in the smells around him: there was catscent, but far more importantly, the crisp bite of catmint was unmistakable to his trained nose. _Yes, yes! _Unable to contain himself any longer, the golden tabby crossed the clearing, heading directly to the pool of water. On closer inspection, he could see that the still waters of the spring were frosted along the banks, but otherwise fine. With a loud growl, Lionpaw’s stomach reminded him that he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink since leaving camp that morning; while the medicine cat apprentice had no intention of attempting to steal prey when he was already taking trespassing to take herbs (he took yet another moment to remind himself that medicine cats didn’t need permission to traverse borders), having a drink of water wouldn’t hurt anybody, and couldn’t be considered stealing. 

The pool’s water was frigid and as he leaned too far and submerged the end of his muzzle, burned Lionpaw’s nose before numbing it, making him recoil. Giving a snort to admonish his own impatience, the large golden tabby carefully began to drink. The water soothed his dry throat quickly, and he lapped enthusiastically at the frosty pool.

As Lionpaw enjoyed his long drink from the spring, a familiar voice announced its presence. “You’re awfully self-assured for a trespasser.”

“Heatherpaw!” Lionpaw whipped around, shocked to find the sleek brown-furred tabby sitting just several tail-lengths away. “Funny running into you here!”

“And yet, neither of us are laughing. WindClan has begun to keep an eye on the tunnels, Lionpaw,” she replied, pinning him under her deep blue gaze. “My name is Heathertail, now, by the way.”

“O-oh. Congratulations on becoming a warrior.” Despite having just had a long drink from the spring behind him, Lionpaw’s throat was parched, and he swallowed hard as his heartbeat quickened. _How didn’t I notice her? _“I’m glad to hear it!”

Though he was half again her size, Lionpaw found himself shying to the side as Heathertail pushed herself to her paws and slowly closed the distance between them. From what he could tell, with her fur smooth against her pelt, she was entirely unbothered by the cold. In spite of her calm demeanor, she did nothing to still her lashing tail. “What are you doing here, Lionpaw?”

Lionpaw leaned away from Heathertail, glancing quickly between the she-cat and the plentiful herbs that surrounded them. Now that he was actually looking, Lionpaw could see that there was in fact a tunnel entrance some distance away, just as Heathertail had said, in the shadow of one of the larger moss-covered stones though it didn’t help him now.

The ThunderClan medicine cat debated his options. He could lie, and try to catch the WindClan warrior off her guard, yes, but what would he do then? Fighting a warrior was out of the question, even if he was bigger than her. There was no way he’d be able to snatch enough catmint for the entirety of ThunderClan’s sick _and _outrun Heathertail. On top of that, his growling stomach reminded him that he’d been walking and climbing for most of the day without rest; a cursory once-over of Heathertail said that she was anything but hungry.

After a moment of consideration, he sighed, meeting Heathertail’s eyes. “We—ThunderClan—needs catmint. More than half of our warriors are sick.”

“And why didn’t Leafpool come to ask Barkface for herbs herself?” The brown she-cat narrowed her eyes.

“The battle, for one. Many of them are still recovering from the battle when the sun disappeared.” Lionpaw dipped his head, trying not to so explicitly say how his Clan was too proud to ask for assistance (especially when he saw the point in how asking an enemy they’d just fought could be seen as weak). At the same time, it _did _frustrate him, considering the fact that if the Clan all died of greencough, there would be no cats left to consider weak. “For another, the Clan needs her.”

Heathertail remained quiet as she thought over his words and Lionpaw took the opportunity to step around her, maintaining eye contact to let her know that he didn’t intend to run. In the silence, it was impossible for him not to remember how those same calculating blue eyes had watched him when they’d ruled an imaginary clan together in the underground cave not so many moons ago. They’d been friends once, Heathertail and he, but it had proven difficult for the two of them to juggle their different training routines with their secret meetings. Heathertail in particular had aspirations, and Lionpaw believed that one day she _would _rule WindClan as Heatherstar. Meanwhile, he would remain a medicine cat apprentice even after he got his full name, up until his mentor died, something he hoped was a long time away.

“I wouldn’t _be _here if I didn’t need to, Heathertail.” Lionpaw clenched his teeth, standing up straight as he swallowed down his frustrations and forced his hackles down. “My Clan needs me, and I need these herbs. Please.”

The tabby’s pelt rippled, and she nodded. “Fine. We’ll take the tunnel.”

“We?” Lionpaw echoed, cocking his head.

Heathertail nodded, walking past him towards one of the smaller patches of herbs. “We, as in you and I. You’re not going to be able to take enough for your entire Clan on your own, are you?”

Lionpaw’s mind whirled, but rather than answer, he joined her at the patch of catmint and began to pluck at their stems, biting them with his teeth. “Like this. Nip the stems lower so that we can tend to them later, and keep the leaves out of our mouths and noses while we carry them.”

The WindClan warrior snorted but watched his demonstration before leaning forward to begin her own harvest. The pair worked in silence, careful to keep a mouse-length or two between them, and before long there was a moderately sized pile of herb clippings between them.

“Will this be enough?” Heathertail asked, making a face at the strongly accumulated flavor that Lionpaw too felt overpowering his tongue.

Lionpaw paused in the middle of licking his paw, confused as to why she was asking him; it was _her _Clan’s medicine, after all. “I-I suppose so?”

Heathertail snorted as she watched him. “You’re the medicine cat, Lionpaw. And I’m not letting you come back for more.”

“O-oh. Yeah, it’s enough. We’ll be able to plant some of it, hopefully.”

His companion nodded. “Let’s get going, then. We both have more important things to do.”

Lionpaw ducked his head to take the stems in his mouth; he wouldn’t be able to talk while they traveled, but then, neither would Heathertail. He lifted his head to see that the sleek tabby had already begun to trot away towards the tunnel, and he quickly followed behind her.

Returning to the tunnels was an odd experience for Lionpaw. Even as darkness enveloped he and Heathertail, even with the herbs’ scent overpowering his nose, the tom felt oddly reassured by the stone walls and how his whiskers told him he was safe to continue. After a period of silent ambulation, it was beginning to seem that the journey that had taken him most of the late morning felt like it was taking but a fraction of the time. As the pair of cats crossed the giant cavern bisected by the underground river (Lionpaw had to tamp down the memories of he and his fellow apprentices’ near-drowning in the tunnels), he reasoned that that was probably the difference a relatively straight line between territories made rather than meandering aimlessly through them.

In the dim light that the cavern’s hole-pocked ceiling allowed, he noted that Heathertail didn’t spare a glance to the ledge where she had once been Heatherstar, and he had been Lionsong, her loyal medicine cat. In a morbid sort of way, was almost funny how they had grown apart in trying to accomplish the goals that had made them friends. Loyalty and ambition had their costs, Lionpaw supposed.

It didn’t take long until the pair had made it to the bramble barrier that the senior warriors of ThunderClan had installed at the mouth of the tunnel to obstruct another WindClan invasion. Lionpaw pushed past Heathertail and stomped through the brittle barricade with disheartening ease; he’d have to ask his siblings to help him rebuild it sometime soon before some cat noticed. He’d also have to get help with picking all of the thorns from his pelt, before he forgot—even if they didn’t bother him, they’d definitely bother somebody.

At the tunnel’s exit, Heathertail carefully dropped her bundle of herbs. Lionpaw went to follow suit, but was stopped by the tabby’s tail brushing along his chin.

“I don’t want to catch you on my territory without an escort again, Lionpaw.” She held up her tail, keeping him from blurting a response. “You’re doing great, though. I know you’ll be a medicine cat ThunderClan can be proud of.”

With a nod of finality, Heathertail blinked her deep blue eyes and turned around, returning to the darkness of the tunnels. Lionpaw was alone, but his heart was light despite the burden of herbs he’d have to carry back to camp. ThunderClan would be okay.

The medicine cats spaced themselves out around the Moonpool, and Lionpaw’s heart thudded in his chest. Leafpool gazed at him with a knowing smile, a secret humor in her amber eyes as she cleared her throat to begin the ceremony.

“I, Leafpool, medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his Clan for many moons. Lionpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry, between Clan and Clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

Lionpaw couldn’t keep his tail from lashing. “I do.” 

Around him, the other medicine cats looked on with barely-disguised glee. “Look at him, he’s so excited!” 

“Hush, Kestrelpaw!”

Leafpool could barely stifle her chuckle before she went on, approaching Lionpaw, who had to bow his head so that she could place her nose between his ears.

“Then by the powers of StarClan I give your true name as a medicine cat. Lionpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Lionheart. StarClan honors your willpower and tenacity; your refusal to give up on those in need. You have saved the lives of many cats, and your Clan will always be thankful."

The other medicine cats burst into cheers without hesitation, and Lionheart’s joy pushed a lump into his throat, preventing him from speaking. After a moment, Leafpool joined her fellows in raucous cheering, pride bright in her eyes. “Lionheart, Lionheart, Lionheart!”

The large golden tabby took a step towards the Moonpool, and with a glance to each of the collected cats, bent his head to take the first drink from its cold waters. The warmth of his pride, the vibrating excitement that thrummed in his paws and tail, it all built upon itself as the cool water, rather than quench the flames of his ambition, made them burn even brighter. Lionheart had saved his Clan, but as the golden tabby closed his eyes, he knew that he’d continue to make them proud. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is coming a lot later than I intended, but hey, we're all out here living our lives. The first thing I want to say is that I'm *really* sort of happy with how this story came out, especially with Heathertail's characterization; I don't remember a lot about her, but I know that I liked her early on in Po3. Having to rewrite their history came surprisingly naturally, and I think it makes things a lot better for them this way.   
As usual, let me know with questions or comments, and you all can look forward to Hollyleaf's presence in the next, and probably final, installation.


End file.
